Frameless stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of primary intracranial tumours in dogs

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a procedure that delivers a single large radiation dose to a well-defined target. Here, we describe a frameless SRS technique suitable for intracranial targets in canines. Medical records of dogs diagnosed with a primary intracranial tumour by imaging or histopathology that underwent SRS were retrospectively reviewed. Frameless SRS was used successfully to treat tumours in 51 dogs with a variety of head sizes and shapes. Tumours diagnosed included 38 meningiomas, 4 pituitary tumours, 4 trigeminal nerve tumours, 3 gliomas, 1 histiocytic sarcoma and 1 choroid plexus tumour. Median survival time was 399 days for all tumours and for dogs with meningiomas; cause-specific survival was 493 days for both cohorts. Acute grade III central nervous system toxicity (altered mentation) occurred in two dogs. Frameless SRS resulted in survival times comparable to conventional radiation therapy, but with fewer acute adverse effects and only a single anaesthetic episode required for therapy.

Clinical characteristics, management and long-term outcome of suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in 14 dogs

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical characteristics, management and long-term outcome in dogs with suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

METHOD

Medical records and video recordings of 14 dogs with suspected rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder were reviewed and the owners were contacted via telephone or email for further information.

RESULTS

Clinical signs included episodes of violent limb movements, howling, barking, growling, chewing, or biting during sleep. Episodes occurred at night and during daytime naps. The age at onset ranged from 8 weeks to 7·5 years with a median of 6 years but 64% of dogs were one year or less. There was no apparent sex or breed predisposition. Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder events were reduced in severity and frequency in 78% of the dogs treated with 40 mg/kg/day oral potassium bromide. One dog was euthanized within 3 months of the onset of signs because of their severity. The duration of the disorder in the 13 surviving dogs ranged from 1·5 to 9 years. None of the dogs spontaneously recovered.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is suspected to occur in dogs, as it does in human beings. It causes concern to the owners and disrupts the home environment. Unlike human beings, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder of dogs often has a juvenile onset.

Flavobacterium breve meningitis in a dog

An unusual, gram-negative rod was isolated in significant numbers (4+) from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a dog. This isolate, Flavobacterium breve, has not been identified previously as a pathogen in the dog. The case and the characteristics of the organism are described.

Salicylate-induced seizures in a dog

A 10-year-old, mixed-breed, castrated male dog was examined because of acute onset of vomiting followed by severe generalized seizures. The dog had been on a treatment regimen that included a salicylate-containing drug, and the owners unknowingly supplemented aspirin. Supportive treatment utilizing sodium bicarbonate resulted in return to normal within 24 hours. Blood salicylate concentrations were determined to be in the range toxic to human beings.

Palatability studies of snail and slug poison baits, using dogs

In 1975, the California Department of Food and Agriculture required registered manufacturers of snail and slug baits to present data showing the unattractiveness of these products to dogs, in order to reduce the number deaths in dogs due to poisoning by eating these baits. A cooperative project involving the University of California, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the snail and slug bait manufacturers was designed to assist the manufacturers in assessing the palatability of their products by dogs and to develop criteria for the regulatory agencies to use to ensure that the products they were registering were unattractive to dogs. The studies showed that most recently formulated baits were relatively unpalatable for dogs. A 2-panel consumption testing procedure was developed and is being used by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency as criteria for registration. Current reports indicate a dramatic decrease in snail and slug bait poisonings in California after these criteria were established as requirements for registration of snail and slug baits.

Castration of adult male dogs: effects on roaming, aggression, urine marking, and mounting

In a retrospective study involving 42 dogs, it was concluded that the objectionable male behavioral patterns of roaming, fighting with other males, urine marking in the house, and mounting of other dogs or people are amenable to alteration by other castration in adulthood. Roaming was reduced in 90% of the dogs.